Tunisia face Sweden in World Cup opener as Group F kicks off

Sweden up first as Tunisia enter the arena

This is it. Tunisia's 2026 World Cup begins Monday against Sweden in Monterrey, a 4am MESZ kickoff that sets the tone for Group F (1) (2). Sweden bring real threat, Viktor Gyökeres leads the line and the backline features Isak Hien, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Alexander Bernhardsson, and Daniel Svensson (1). No friendly or warm-up details are available, so the lineup and tactical setup remain under wraps until team sheets drop. Sweden are a familiar tournament side, physical, organized, and sharp on the break. Tunisia's defensive discipline, the backbone of qualifying, gets its first true World Cup test here.

Netherlands and Japan set Group F in motion

The other two sides in your group meet Saturday night, Netherlands vs. Japan, a match that will immediately shape the table before Tunisia even kicks a ball (4). The Dutch enter as group favorites, so a Japan slip would leave pressure squarely on Tunisia to take points from Sweden. A Dutch win combined with a Tunisia result on Monday puts the group in an interesting place. Keep one eye on that scoreline.